This application is related to and claims priority from Japanese Patent Applications No. Hei. 11-298494 filed on Oct. 20, 1999, and No. 2000-109635 filed on Apr. 11, 2000, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle front end structure around a front end panel to which front end components including at least a radiator are assembled.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional vehicle front end structure described in JP-A-10-264856, a thinned breaking notch is provided in a front end panel, so that the breaking notch is readily broken by an exterior force (colliding force) to absorb the exterior force. However, because the breaking notch is broken when the exterior force larger than a predetermined value is applied to a vehicle front side, the front end panel and vehicle front components including a radiator and a condenser may fall from an engine compartment onto a road surface, and may be damaged.
In view of the foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle front end structure which prevents a damage of a vehicle front end member even when an exterior force larger than a predetermined value is applied to a vehicle body from a vehicle front side.
According to the present invention, plural fixing portions at which a front end member including at least a radiator is fixed are provided in a front end panel. When an exterior force larger than a predetermined value is applied to a vehicle body from a vehicle front side, at least one fixing state between the front end member and the fixing portions of the front end panel is maintained and the other fixing state therebetween is released, among plural fixing states between the front end member and the plural fixing portions of the front end panel. Accordingly, it can prevent all the front end member from falling from an engine compartment to a road surface when the exterior force is applied to the vehicle body from a vehicle front side, and a damage of the front end member is accurately prevented.
Preferably, the front end structure includes a fixing member which is disposed to be assembled to the front end panel from a vehicle rear side at the fixing portions corresponding to the other fixing state, in such a manner that a part of the front end member is inserted between the fixing member and the front end panel. Therefore, it can prevent the fixing states between the front end member and the fixing portions of the front end panel from being released by a force different from the exterior force, such as a vehicle vibration, while the falling of the front end member is accurately prevented.
Further, the front end panel includes an upper beam member extending horizontally at a vehicle upper side, and a lower beam member extending horizontally at a vehicle lower side. The upper beam member has an upper insertion hole penetrating through the upper beam member in an up-down direction, into which an upper protrusion of the front end member is inserted, and the lower beam member has a lower insertion hole penetrating through the lower beam member in an up-down direction, into which a lower protrusion of the front end member is inserted. In the front end structure, any one of the upper insertion hole and the lower insertion hole has an opening opened toward a vehicle rear side. Thus, when the exterior force is applied to the vehicle body from a vehicle front side, an engagement state between the insertion hole having the opening and the protrusion is released, and an engagement state between the insertion hole without the opening and the protrusion is maintained. Accordingly, the front end member is rotated around an end portion at a side where the opening is not provided, toward a vehicle rear side. As a result, the front end structure can accurately prevent a damage of the front end member with a simple structure.
Alternatively, the front end structure has a beam deformation member disposed at a vehicle front side of the front end panel, and the beam deformation member is coupled to the upper beam member so that the upper beam member is bent to an upper side through the beam deformation member when the exterior force is applied to the vehicle body from a vehicle front side. Therefore, the front end structure can accurately prevent a damage of the front end member with a simple structure.